October homicides break June’s record

2017 is on track to be the worst year ever recorded

Homicide numbers in October were the highest ever recorded, according to the National Public Security System.

Investigations were opened into 2,371 cases of intentional homicide during the month, beating the previous record — set in June — of 2,238.

The number of homicides in the first 10 months of this year was 20,878, 23.6% more than the same period last year. And this year’s January-October total is 1.6% higher than the figure for all of 2016.

It appears likely that 2017 will become the worst year on record, a distinction currently held by 2011 when homicides totaled 22,855.

Based on homicides per 100,000 population, the state of Colima led all of Mexico with a rate of 75.4, followed by Guerrero with 53.3. Baja California Sur took third place with 50.5, a 178% increase over last year.

The surge in violence began in the middle of last year and has continued despite the deployment of thousands of security forces to crime hot spots and the implementation of special strategies intended to reverse the trend.

Other crimes were also up. Auto theft with violence soared 40.9% in the first 10 months, and kidnappings were up 4.8%.